U.S. patent application number 10/094959 was filed with the patent office on 2002-09-19 for image presentation and control.
Invention is credited to De Bruijn, Oscar, Spence, Robert.
Application Number | 20020130896 10/094959 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 9910907 |
Filed Date | 2002-09-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020130896 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Spence, Robert ; et
al. |
September 19, 2002 |
Image presentation and control
Abstract
An apparatus for and method of presenting images contained in a
virtu container, the system comprising: a display for displaying at
least one virtual container; a processor for driving the display to
display images contained in the at least one virtual container
displayed on the display; and a user interface for controlling the
processor to drive the display; wherein the images are displayed
sequentially in a display cycle.
Inventors: |
Spence, Robert; (Surrey,
GB) ; De Bruijn, Oscar; (London, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIXON & VANDERHYE P.C.
8th Floor
1100 North Glebe Road
Arlington
VA
22201
US
|
Family ID: |
9910907 |
Appl. No.: |
10/094959 |
Filed: |
March 12, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
715/716 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G09G 2340/145 20130101;
G09G 5/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
345/716 |
International
Class: |
G09G 005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 16, 2001 |
GB |
0106630.7 |
Claims
We claim:
1. An apparatus for presenting images contained in a virtual
container, comprising: (i) a display for displaying at least one
virtual container, (ii) a processor for driving the display to
display images contained in said at least one virtual container
which is displayed on said display; and (iii) a user interface for
controlling said processor to drive said display; wherein said
images are displayed sequentially in a display cycle at a
predetermined rate, said rate being adjustable in operation and
wherein said user interface has a selector operable to select at
least one target image from said display cycle.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said images are displayed
simultaneously with said virtual container.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said rate is adjustable by
said processor in dependence upon content of said images.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each image is displayed for
between 0.1 seconds and 0.8 seconds.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each image is displayed for
substantially 0.4 seconds.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said predetermined rate of
said display cycle is greater than a rate required to allow for
recognition and human visual processing of every image while said
display cycle is running.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said images represent menu
options and selection of said at least one target image results in
execution of a corresponding menu option.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said images contained in said
virtual container are displayed as passing in a display path from
one to another part of said virtual container.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said display path is a
substantially circular path.
10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said display path is a
substantially linear path.
11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said images are displayed
such that any image passing from the virtual container is clear of
the virtual container before the subsequent image passes from the
virtual container.
12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said images are displayed as
moving smoothly over the display path.
13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said images are moved in
discrete steps along the display path.
14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said images increase in size
to a predetermined point in the display path.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said image at said
predetermined point is substantially complete.
16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said predetermined point is
at top-dead-centre.
17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said images are of
substantially uniform size.
18. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said images are overlapping
images.
19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein all of said images are
displayed outside of the virtual container.
20. The apparatus claim 1, wherein a predetermined number of images
are displayed outside of said virtual container at any one time and
ones of said images are returned to the virtual container before
others of said images are displayed.
21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said images are displayed
such as to be superimposed one above the other.
22. The apparatus of claims 1, wherein said images are displayed in
a continuous cycle.
23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said images are displayed in
a predetermined number of cycles.
24. The apparatus of claims 1, wherein said display displays a
control panel for enabling control of the display of the images
from said virtual container.
25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said control panel includes
a forward step button for stepping forwards through said images, a
backward step button for stepping backwards through said images,
and a stop button for stopping the display of said images.
26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said control panel further
includes an indicator which is progressively filled corresponding
to the stage in the display cycle, thereby providing a user with a
perception of the number of images in the virtual container and the
current position in the display cycle.
27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said control panel comprises
a speed control and said predetermined rate is adjustable via said
speed control.
28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said display cycle has a
forward mode and a reverse mode and said control panel comprises a
reverse control for changing said display cycle between said
forward mode and said reverse mode.
29. A method for presenting images contained in a virtual
container, said method comprising the steps of: (i) displaying at
least one virtual container; (ii) driving said display to display
images contained in the at least one virtual container which is
displayed on said display; and (iii) controlling a processor to
drive said display via a user interface; wherein said images are
displayed sequentially in a display cycle at a predetermined rate,
said rate being adjustable in operation and wherein said user
interface has a selector operable to select at least one target
image from said display cycle.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein said images are displayed
simultaneously with said virtual container.
31. The method of claim 29, wherein said predetermined rate is
adjustable in dependence upon content of said images.
32. The method of claim 29, wherein each image is displayed for
between 0.1 seconds and 0.8 seconds.
33. The method of claim 29, wherein each image is displayed for
substantially 0.4 seconds.
34. The method of claim 29, wherein said predetermined rate of said
display cycle is greater than a rate required to allow for
recognition and human visual processing of every image while said
display cycle is running.
35. The method of claim 29, wherein said images represent menu
options and selection of said at least one target image results in
execution of a corresponding menu option.
36. The method of claim 29, wherein the images contained in said
virtual container are displayed as passing in a display path from
one to another part of said virtual container.
37. The method of claim 29, wherein said display path is a
substantially circular path.
38. The method of claim 29, wherein the display path is a
substantially linear path.
39. The method of claim 29, wherein said images are displayed such
that any image passing from said virtual container is clear of said
virtual container before a subsequent image passes from said
virtual container.
40. The method of claim 36, wherein said images are displayed as
moving smoothly over said display path.
41. The method of claim 36, wherein said images are moved in
discrete steps along said display path.
42. The method of claim 36, wherein said images increase in size to
a predetermined point in said display path.
43. The method of claim 42, wherein said image at said
predetermined point is substantially complete.
44. The method of claim 42, wherein the predetermined point is at
top-dead-centre.
45. The method of claim 29, wherein the images are of substantially
uniform size.
46. The method of claims 29, wherein the images are overlapping
images.
47. The method of claims 29, wherein all of the images are
displayed outside of the virtual container.
48. The method of claims 29, wherein a predetermined number of
images are displayed outside of the virtual container at any one
time and ones of said images are returned to the virtual container
before others of said images are displayed.
49. The method of claim 29, wherein the images are displayed such
as to be superimposed one above the other.
50. The method of claim 29, wherein said images are displayed in a
continuous cycle.
51. The method of claim 29, wherein said images are displayed in a
predetermined number of cycles.
52. The method of claim 29, wherein a control panel is displayed on
said display for enabling control of display of said images from
said virtual container.
53. The method of claim 52, wherein said control panel includes a
forward step button for stepping forwards through said images, a
backward step button for stepping backwards through said images,
and a stop button for stopping display of said images.
54. The method of claim 52, wherein said control panel further
includes an indicator which is progressively filled corresponding
to a stage in said display cycle, thereby providing a user with a
perception of the number of images in said virtual container and
the current position in said display cycle.
55. The method of claim 52, wherein said control panel comprises a
speed control and said predetermined rate is adjustable via said
speed control.
56. The method of claim 52, wherein said display cycle has a
forward mode and a reverse mode and said control panel comprises a
reverse control for changing said display cycle between said
forward mode and said reverse mode.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a system for and method of
presenting images on a display and controlling the presentation of
the images.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] A particular problem associated with displaying information
on displays, particularly small displays, such as in mobile
telephones, is the limited size of the area available for the
presentation of that information.
[0005] It is thus an aim of the present invention to provide an
improved system for and method of presenting images on a display
and controlling the presentation of the images.
[0006] In presenting images on a display it is important to
consider how the images are perceived by the user. This is
particularly important when a multiplicity of images have to be
displayed and the viewer has to attempt to extract salient
information from what is presented in order to make a selection. A
human perceptual task known as Rapid Serial Visual Processing
(RSVP) requires the detection of a target item among a stream of
visual stimuli, such as an image sequence presented in the same
location in rapid temporal succession. The target item is typically
a particular image that the viewer has been primed to detect. It
has been proposed that in performing an RSVP task, the attention
apparatus of the brain of the viewer grabs the target image when it
appears in the image sequence, and then an "attention filter"
blocks subsequent images in the temporal sequence from reaching
recognition centres of the brain. It is thought that the brain sets
up this block to prevent interference with the cognition of the
initial target item so that subsequent images are only processed to
a level, which allows for their rejection.
[0007] This has been rationalised by considering that without the
filter working like a gate, closing after the initial stimuli, the
attention apparatus would become blocked with irrelevant data.
Therefore once the initial data are being processed, the attention
apparatus effectively goes off-line, preventing additional data
from reaching consciousness.
[0008] More recent research has suggested that the attention filter
of the brain is not an all-or-nothing gate. Rather, the filter
allows semantic information of post-target images to be processed
to a deeper level, and through to consciousness, although the
filter still acts as a block to visual processing.
[0009] It is known to provide image presentation systems with
rotating menus where the menu options are selectable. Whilst these
known menu systems are useful in addressing the problem of
presenting menu options to the user in an intelligible way, they
have the disadvantages that to display a large number of menu
options simultaneously requires a large display size and even if
only a subset of the available menu options are displayed at any
one time, it is time consuming for the user to proceed step-by-step
through the menu options by rotating the menu manually. Furthermore
in known menu systems configured to rotate automatically, typically
either the number of menu options displayed is limited or the
rotation rate is slow enough to allow the user to visually perceive
all of the displayed images. As a consequence, cycling through all
of the available menu options is very time consuming and
inefficient. Furthermore the automatic menu rotation or display
cycle rate is fixed in operation for known systems. Examples of
known image presentation systems are briefly described below.
[0010] Patent application number WO-A-98/28912 describes a user
interface in which a rotating menu is provided. The menu has a
perspective that allows for a highlighted option to appear to be in
front of the other options. Some of the options rotate off the
screen which allows for any number of options to be added to the
menu without affecting the shape of the display. The menu options
are rotated manually by a user via buttons on a remote control. The
remote control also has a button for selecting a highlighted menu
option.
[0011] The software package Microsoft Powerpoint has a slideshow
feature, according to which, a sequence of images is presented in
an automated displayed cycle. The user can individually configure
the time for which each image is displayed in the slideshow. The
timings are configurable prior to running the slideshow.
[0012] Patent application number WO-A-01/29644 describes a system
in which a three-dimensional display of menu options is presented
to a user. According to this system all of the available menu
options are simultaneously presented to the user and are
continuously selectable. The menu options are configured to rotate.
The user is provided with an on/off option which can stop or pause
the motion of the menu options.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] Viewed from one aspect the invention provides an apparatus
for presenting images contained in a virtual container,
comprising:
[0014] (i) a display for displaying at least one virtual
container;
[0015] (ii) a processor for driving the display to display images
contained in said at least one virtual container which is displayed
on said display; and
[0016] (iii) a user interface for controlling said processor to
drive said display;
[0017] wherein said images are displayed sequentially in a display
cycle at a predetermined rate, said rate being adjustable in
operation and wherein said user interface has a selector operable
to select at least one target image from said display cycle.
[0018] The invention recognises that displaying multiple images on
a small display is problematic. With the advent of small portable
electronic devices such as personal digital assistants and mobile
phones and taking account of the increasing sophistication of
software installed on these devices with a multiplicity of
available functions and menu options, this problem has become more
pronounced. The invention also recognises that the displayed images
should be presented to the user in a way that allows important
information presented on the display to be readily filtered-out by
the user and to cycle through a large number of images in a short
space of time.
[0019] The invention exploits the RSVP characteristic of the
brain's visual processing by displaying images in a sequence at a
predetermined rate that is adjustable in operation. Accordingly,
images may be displayed in rapid temporal succession, thus allowing
for efficient cycling through a large number of options. The image
cycle rate must be slow enough to allow for recognition and visual
processing of a target image to enable it to be selected, but need
not be so slow as to allow for every image in the sequence to be
recognised and visually processed during the image cycle.
[0020] Furthermore the cycle rate of the images can be adjusted in
dependence upon the image type. For example, visual processing of a
simple and distinctive line-drawn image will typically take less
time than visual processing of an information-dense photographic
image. The cycle rate may be determined automatically via an
algorithm run by the processor or alternatively the user could be
prompted to provide objective input on the image type to be
displayed and the cycle rate could be set accordingly by the
algorithm. The cycle rate is also adjustable between one or more
rates via the user interface. The invention further provides a
selector so that a user can select a particular displayed image of
interest (the "target image") from the displayed sequence.
[0021] Preferably, the images are displayed simultaneously with
said virtual container.
[0022] In one embodiment the predetermined rate of the display
cycle is adjustable by said processor in dependence upon content of
said images.
[0023] Preferably, each image is displayed for between 0.1 seconds
and 0.8 seconds.
[0024] In one preferred embodiment, each image is displayed for
substantially 0.4 seconds.
[0025] In another preferred embodiment, the predetermined rate of
said display cycle is greater than a rate required to allow for
recognition and human visual processing of every image while said
display cycle is running.
[0026] In a further embodiment the images represent menu options
and selection of said at least one target image results in
execution of a corresponding menu option.
[0027] In one preferred embodiment the images contained in the
virtual container are displayed as passing in a display path from
one to another part of the virtual container.
[0028] In one embodiment the display path is a substantially
circular path.
[0029] In another embodiment the display path is a substantially
linear path.
[0030] Preferably, the images are displayed such that any image
passing from the virtual container is clear of the virtual
container before the subsequent image passes from the virtual
container.
[0031] In one embodiment the images are displayed as moving
smoothly over the display path.
[0032] In another embodiment the images are moved in discrete steps
along the display path.
[0033] In one preferred embodiment the images increase in size to a
predetermined point in the display path.
[0034] Preferably, the image at the predetermined point is
substantially complete.
[0035] More preferably, the predetermined point is at
top-dead-centre.
[0036] In another preferred embodiment the images are of
substantially uniform size.
[0037] Preferably, the images are overlapping images.
[0038] In one embodiment all of the images are displayed outside of
the virtual container.
[0039] In another embodiment a predetermined number of images are
displayed outside of the virtual container at any one time and ones
of the images are returned to the vitual container before others of
the images are displayed.
[0040] In another preferred embodiment the images are displayed
such as to be superimposed one above the other.
[0041] In one embodiment the images are displayed in a continuous
cycle.
[0042] In another embodiment the images are displayed in a
predeterminable number of cycles.
[0043] Preferably, the display displays a control panel for
enabling control of the display of the images from the virtual
container.
[0044] More preferably, the control panel includes a forward step
button for stepping forwards through the images, a backward step
button for stepping backwards through the images, and a stop button
for stopping the display of the images.
[0045] In a preferred embodiment the control panel further includes
an indicator which is progressively filled corresponding to the
stage in the display cycle, thereby providing a user with a
perception of the number of images in the virtual container and the
current position in the display cycle.
[0046] In another embodiment the control panel comprises a speed
control and the predetermined rate is adjustable via the speed
control.
[0047] In a further embodiment the display cycle has a forward mode
and a reverse mode and the control panel comprises a reverse
control for changing the display cycle between the forward mode and
the reverse mode.
[0048] Viewed from another aspect the invention provides a method
for presenting images contained in a virtual container, said method
comprising the steps of:
[0049] (i) displaying at least one virtual container;
[0050] (ii) driving said display to display images contained in the
at least one virtual container which is displayed on said display;
and
[0051] (iii) controlling a processor to drive said display via a
user interface;
[0052] wherein said images are displayed sequentially in a display
cycle at a predetermined rate, said rate being adjustable in
operation and wherein said user interface has a selector operable
to select at least one target image from said display cycle.
[0053] Preferably, the images are displayed simultaneously with
said virtual container.
[0054] In one embodiment the predetermined rate of the display
cycle is adjustable by said processor in dependence upon content of
said images.
[0055] Preferably, each image is displayed for between 0.1 seconds
and 0.8 seconds.
[0056] In one preferred embodiment, each image is displayed for
substantially 0.4 seconds.
[0057] In another preferred embodiment, the predetermined rate of
said display cycle is greater than a rate required to allow for
recognition and human visual processing of every image while said
display cycle is running.
[0058] In a further embodiment the images represent menu options
and selection of said at least one target image results in
execution of a corresponding menu option.
[0059] In one preferred embodiment the images contained in the
virtual container are displayed as passing in a display path from
one to another part of the virtual container.
[0060] In one embodiment the display path is a substantially
circular path.
[0061] In another embodiment the display path is a substantially
linear path.
[0062] Preferably, the images are displayed such that any image
passing from the virtual container is clear of the virtual
container before the subsequent image passes from the virtual
container.
[0063] In one embodiment the images are displayed as moving
smoothly over the display path.
[0064] In another embodiment the images are moved in discrete steps
along the display path.
[0065] In one preferred embodiment the images increase in size to a
predetermined point in the display path.
[0066] Preferably, the image at the predetermined point is
substantially complete.
[0067] More preferably, the predetermined point is at
top-dead-centre.
[0068] In another preferred embodiment the images are of
substantially uniform size.
[0069] Preferably, the images are overlapping images.
[0070] In one embodiment all of the images are displayed outside of
the virtual container.
[0071] In another embodiment a predeterminable number of images are
displayed outside of the virtual container at any one time and ones
of the images are returned to the virtual container before others
of the images are displayed.
[0072] In another preferred embodiment the images are displayed
such as to be superimposed one above the other.
[0073] In one embodiment the images are displayed in a continuous
cycle.
[0074] In another embodiment the images are displayed in a
predeterminable number of cycles.
[0075] Preferably, a control panel is displayed on the display for
enabling control of the display of the images from the virtual
container.
[0076] More preferably, the control panel includes a forward step
button for stepping forwards through the images, a backward step
button for stepping backwards through the images, and a stop button
for stopping the display of the images.
[0077] In a preferred embodiment the control panel further includes
an indicator which is progressively filled corresponding to the
stage in the display cycle, thereby providing a user with a
perception of the number of images in the virtual container and the
current position in the display cycle.
[0078] In another embodiment the control panel comprises a speed
control and the predetermined rate is adjustable via the speed
control.
[0079] In a further embodiment the display cycle has a forward mode
and a reverse mode and the control panel comprises a reverse
control for changing the display cycle between the forward mode and
the reverse mode.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0080] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
invention will be apparent from the following retailed description
of illustrative embodiments which is to be read in connection with
the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0081] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an image presentation
system in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0082] FIGS. 2(a) to (h) illustrate a sequence of the images
presented in one mode of operation of the system;
[0083] FIGS. 3(a) to (h) illustrate a sequence of the images
presented in another mode of operation of the system;
[0084] FIGS. 4(a) to (h) illustrate a sequence of the images
presented in another mode of operation of the system;
[0085] FIG. 5 illustrates a control panel icon in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0086] FIG. 6 illustrates one implementation of the control panel
icon of FIG. 5; and
[0087] FIG. 7 illustrates another implementation of the control
panel icon of FIG. 5;
[0088] FIG. 8 is a flow chart that illustrates how a display
sequence of images is controlled according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0089] FIG. 9 illustrates a control panel icon corresponding to the
flow chart of FIG. 8.
[0090] FIGS. 10(a) to (h) illustrate a sequence of the images
presented in a mode of operation of the system where only a subset
of the images can be displayed at any one time;
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0091] The system comprises a display 1, a processor 3 for driving
the display 1 to display images I contained in a virtual container
C ("miscellaneous") displayed on the display I, and a user
interface 5 for controlling the processor 3 to drive the display 1.
In this embodiment the virtual container C is a virtual folder and
the images I are pictorial images I contained therein, but in other
embodiments the images I could be images I representative of the
content of any virtual container C. In preferred embodiments the
system is a computer system or mobile telephone, and the user
interface 5 is a mouse or touch screen.
[0092] The system has numerous modes of operation and certain of
those modes of operation will be described in detail hereinbelow.
In each mode, in a quiescent or inactive state, as illustrated in
FIGS. 2(a), 3(a) and 4(a), a virtual container C ("miscellaneous")
containing a plurality of pictorial images I is displayed on the
display 1.
[0093] In a first mode of operation, in response to user input
through the user interface 5, as illustrated in FIGS. 2(b) to (h),
the images I contained in the virtual container C are displayed as
passing from one side, in this embodiment the left-hand side, of
the virtual container C to the other side, in this embodiment the
right-hand side, of the virtual container C. The images I follow a
display path, in this embodiment a circular path, which extends
between the one and the other sides of the virtual container C, and
are displayed such that any image I passing from the virtual
container C is clear of the virtual container C before the
subsequent image I passes from the virtual container C.
[0094] In this embodiment the images I are overlapping images and
increase in size to a predetermined point in the display path, here
at top-dead-centre, with the image I at that point being complete.
In other embodiments the size of the images I can remain
substantially constant.
[0095] In this embodiment as the number of images I in the virtual
container C is small, all of the images I are displayed outside of
the virtual container C, but in other embodiments, where the number
of images I in the virtual container C is large and cannot all be
displayed simultaneously outside of the virtual container C, a
predetermined number of images I are displayed outside of the
virtual container C at any one time and certain of the images I are
returned to the virtual container C before others of the images I
are displayed.
[0096] In this embodiment the images I are displayed continuously
as an endless loop until user input is received to stop the display
of the images I from the virtual container C. In other embodiments
the images I can be displayed once or a predetermined number of
times in the display path.
[0097] In this embodiment the images I are displayed as moving
smoothly over the display path, but in other embodiments the images
I could be moved in discrete steps along the display path.
[0098] In another mode of operation, as illustrated in FIGS. 3(a)
to (h), the display path can be such as to extend directly over the
virtual container C, thereby effectively displaying the images I
along a single line.
[0099] In a further mode of operation, as illustrated in FIGS. 4(a)
to (h), the images I are displayed such as to be superimposed one
above the other, thereby creating an effect similar to that as
would be achieved as by flicking through the pages of a book.
[0100] FIG. 5 illustrates a control panel icon 7 in accordance with
a preferred embodiment of the present invention for enabling
control of the display of the images I from the virtual container
C.
[0101] The icon 7 includes a forward step button 9 for stepping
forwards through the images I, a backward step button 11 for
stepping backwards through the images I, and a stop button 13 for
stopping the display of the images I.
[0102] The icon 7 also includes an indicator 15, in this embodiment
a semi-circular segment, which is progressively filled
corresponding to the stage in the carousel cycle, thereby providing
a user with a perception of the number of images I in the virtual
container C and the current position in the carousel cycle.
[0103] In this embodiment the images I in the virtual container C
are displayed by clicking on the icon 7, and a user can stop the
display cycle by clicking on the stop button 13 to scrutinise a
particular image I. Also, the user is able to toggle through the
images I, either forwards or backwards, by clicking on the forward
or backward step buttons 9, 11.
[0104] FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate two implementations of the icon 7.
In one implementation, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the icon 7 is
displayed on the virtual container C. In another implementation, as
illustrated in FIG. 7, the icon 7 is provided in a magic lens 17
which can be moved using the user interface 5 so as to be
positioned over a virtual container C of interest.
[0105] The RSVP characteristic of the brain's visual processing can
be exploited by displaying images in rapid temporal succession,
thus allowing for efficient cycling through a large number of
options. The image cycle rate must be slow enough to allow for
recognition and visual processing of a target image to enable it to
be selected, but need not be so slow as to allow for every image in
the sequence to be recognised and visually processed during the
image cycle. Once the target image has been identified, the user
can stop the display cycle via the user interface.
[0106] There will inevitably be a delay due to user reaction time
between recognition of a target image and initiation of the user
command to stop the display cycle or to select the displayed image.
To allow for finite user reaction time a back control is provided
to allow tracking back through the image sequence. This back
control facilitates relocation of the target image once it has been
recognised, even if it has disappeared from the display before the
user reacted to select it or to stop the cycle. This is explained
further below with reference to FIG. 10.
[0107] The cycle rate of the images can be adjusted in dependence
upon the image type. For example, visual processing of a simple and
distinctive line-drawn image will typically take less time than
visual processing of an information-dense photographic image. The
cycle rate may be determined automatically via an algorithm run by
the processor, for example, by using "activity" as a measure of the
information content of the image. Activity is a measure calculated
from the appropriately normalised pixel variance of an image block.
Alternatively the user could be prompted to provide objective input
on the image type to be displayed and the cycle rate could be set
accordingly by the algorithm. The cycle rate is also adjustable
between one or more rates via the user interface.
[0108] FIG. 8 is a flow chart that illustrates how the display
sequence of images is controlled according to an embodiment. In the
flow chart, the rectangles represent events whereas the ovals
represent processes. The integer x represents the total number of
images in the virtual container while the integer i
(0.ltoreq.i.ltoreq.x) is an image index:- i=0 corresponds to the
beginning of the display sequence which is a state where the
virtual container is displayed but none of the x images is
displayed; i=1 corresponds to the point in the sequence where image
I1 most recently emerged from the virtual container, i=2
corresponds to when image I2 was the image that most recently
emerged from the virtual container and so on until i=x.
[0109] At event 20, in response to user input via the user
interface 5, the image display cycle is started. At process 25 the
processor determines the current value of the index i. If i<x
then i is successively incremented by one and each time i is
incremented the corresponding image Ii emerges from the virtual
container and is displayed. The process may continue uninterrupted
until i=x. Process 25 corresponds to a first predetermined cycle
rate which is a rapid cycle rate. After the image corresponding to
i=x has been displayed, i is set equal to zero and the image
display sequence is terminated. The display sequence can be
reinitiated by starting the cycle using the start event 20.
[0110] When the user activates a reverse event 30, the direction of
the image cycle reverses and process 35 is initiated. During
process 35 it is determined whether i>0 and if this condition is
met i is decremented so that that the display sequence runs in a
reverse order. This reverse order display cycle can continue until
i=0 when only the virtual container is displayed. The reverse
sequence display cycle of process 35 occurs at the same
predetermined rapid cycle rate as the forward display cycle of
process 25.
[0111] During the forward display cycle process 25, the cycle rate
is changed when the user interrupts the cycle by initiating a
change speed event 40 via the user interface 5. This has effect of
reducing the display cycle rate from the rapid cycle rate of
process 25 to a second predetermined cycle rate which is a slow
cycle rate and corresponds to process 45. Process 45 is a forward
display cycle process. In this case triggering the change speed
event 40 allows the user to reduce the cycle rate thus allowing
more time for target image recognition. During execution of process
45, a reverse event 50 can be triggered whereupon the display cycle
process reverses direction but continues to run at the
predetermined slow cycle rate. Reversal of the cycle allows the
user to track back in the sequence in order to locate a recognised
target image.
[0112] During execution any one of the rapid forward cycle process
25, the rapid reverse cycle process 35, the slow forward cycle
process 45, or the slow reverse cycle process 55 described, above
the user can trigger a stop event 60 to freeze the displayed image
sequence at that point in time. Typically the user will trigger the
stop event 60 upon recognition of a target image. Once the image
display sequence has been stopped, the user can navigate through
the display sequence frame-by-frame. Using a forward event 70
control, the user can navigate forwards in the image display cycle
as represented by process 75. Similarly by using backward event 80
control, the user can navigate backwards in the display cycle as
represented by process 85. Furthermore, triggering a goto event 90
will result in the user being prompted to and enter an image index.
If the index i=Y is entered then the apparatus will navigate
directly to the point in the image display sequence where image IY
has just emerged from the virtual container C.
[0113] Although in this embodiment only two cycle speeds are used,
one rapid and one slow, in alternative embodiments a wider range of
cycle speeds may be provided. Taking account of RSVP characteristic
of the brain's visual processing the predetermined rate of said
display cycle may be set such that it is greater than a rate
required to allow for recognition and human visual processing of
every image while the display cycle is running. The user will
typically be able to recognise a target image in a rapid display
sequence and to select that image by back-tracking in the sequence
to relocate the recognised target image in the event that the
target image has returned to the virtual container before the user
has been able to select it. The cycle speed could be such that each
image is displayed for between 0.1 seconds and 0.8 seconds. However
in typical applications each image will be displayed for
substantially 0.4 seconds.
[0114] FIG. 9 illustrates a control panel icon 7 for enabling the
control of the display images I from the virtual container C for
use with the embodiment corresponding to the flow chart of FIG. 8.
In addition to the forward step button 9, the backward step button
11 and the stop button 13 which were also provided in the
embodiment of FIG. 5, a reverse button 16 is provided for reversing
the direction of the display cycle and a speed dial 18 is provided
for adjusting the cycle rate of the images I. The speed dial 18 has
two predetermined speed settings: setting 1 corresponds to the slow
cycle rate whereas setting 2 corresponds to the fast cycle rate.
The reverse button 16 is used to trigger the reverse events 30 and
50 of FIG. 8 whilst the speed dial is used to trigger the change
speed event 40.
[0115] FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which
the images I contained in the virtual container C emerge from the
left hand side of the container, follow a display path above the
container and are returned to the virtual container at the right
hand side. The embodiment of FIG. 10 is similar to the embodiment
of FIG. 2 except that in FIG. 10 the number of images in the
virtual container C is too large for them all to be displayed
simultaneously outside the container. In this embodiment a maximum
of 7 images can be displayed simultaneously. FIG. 10(a) shows the
display cycle corresponding to i=7 (since 17 has just emerged from
the left hand side of the container) and the first 7 images are on
display. FIGS. 10(b), 10(c) and 10(d) correspond to I=8, 9 and 10
respectively and represent successive frames of the display cycle
running in a forward direction or forward mode. FIG. 10(e)
corresponds to I=11 and in this stage of the cycle images I1, I2,
I3 and I4 have returned to the virtual container and are no longer
displayed. Suppose that the user intends to select a menu icon
corresponding to image I4 so that I4 is the target image. The user
first notices I4 when it is at the top-centre of the display path
as in FIG. 10(a). However, since the image cycle proceeds at a
rapid rate, there being a large number of images in the virtual
container to cycle through, the user triggers the stop button only
in time to stop the sequence at the cycle stage of FIG. 10(e) when
I4 has just disappeared from the display cycle.
[0116] In order to relocate the image I4 the user uses the backward
step button to step back through the cycle. By pressing the
backward step button four times in succession the display cycle
returns through stages 10(d), 10(c), 10(b) to stage 10(a). Thus the
user arrives at the cycle stage of FIG. 10(f) with the target image
I4 at the top-centre of the display as shown. Alternatively, the
user could press the reverse button 16, whereupon the cycle would
switch from the forward mode to a reverse mode and cycle
automatically backwards, passing sequentially through stages 10(d),
10(c), 10(b) to stage 10(a) at the predetermined cycle rate. The
user then double clicks on the image I4 to select that image. In
this case this image is a menu icon and selecting it results in the
particular menu option corresponding to the image icon I4 being
launched. In this embodiment the image selection position
corresponds to the top-centre position where the displayed image is
largest. However in alternative embodiments any of the displayed
images could be selected.
[0117] Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been
described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying
drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited
to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and
modifications can be effected therein by one skilled in the art
without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as
defined by the appended claims.
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